Protective apparatus for fruit-trees.



IE'. W. EDDY.

PROTECTIVE APPARATUS FOR FRUIT TREES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 30 1913.

KU. 1|. 9 1 6: 2%/ nm a J d S t n 6 my P2 v *HE MORRIS PETERS Co.. PHoo-LITHO.. wASHiNcrON, nA C FRANK W. EDDY, vOF LOS ANGELES, CALIEFORNIA.

PROTECTIVE APPARATUS FOR FRUIT-TREES.

i Macnee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.. 26, 1915..

Application led December 30, i913. Serial No. 809,439.

To all 107mm t may concern Be it known that I, FRANK W. EDDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful improvements in Protective Apparatus for Fruit-Trees, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toV protective apparatus for fruit trees,

and particularly perj tains to a foldable canopy or hood for in- Yao closing frost.

lt is the object of this invention to provide a canopy for inclosing fruit trees, which can be folded when not in use and quickly unfolded and placed in position over and around a tree when occasion demands.

Another object is to provide means by which the hoods can be easily and quickly folded and unfolded.

Another object is to provide a supporting means by which a plurality of hoods can be carried and arranged adjacent the trees in a grove when in use or in readiness for use.

fruit trees to protect them from Another object is to provide a tree' pro-V tecting hood which is capable of being enlarged or reduced in diameter so as to readily it trees of dierent sizes.

Another object is to provide a folding hood having a compartment adapted toconne heated air.

In protecting fruit trees fromv frost it is a. common practice to inclose individual trees in tents supported on props or on the trees themselves, or to cover a large number of trees under a canvas roof carried on suitable supports. Devices of this character are objectionable owing to the diiiiculty in putting them in place andV afterward removing them from the trees owing to their size and weight, and are alsoobjectionable in that much time is consumed in covering the trees which renders it practically impossible to cover all the trees in large orchards or groves quick enough to avoid threatened frost without the use of a large force of men and much labor and expense. y

The above objections are obviated by providing a foldable canopy or hood which can be quickly lowered into positionaround a tree when there is danger of frost and which can be quickly removed from the tree when the danger of frost has passed.

The invention primarily resides in a supporting frame, means for suspending saine, a fabric hood carried by the frame and manual means for folding and unfolding the hood in relation to the supporting frame.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the application of the invention and showing the canopy both in the open and folded position. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the canopy. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section showing the construction of the upper portion of the canopy. it is a detail in plan on the line ld of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail section of the upper portion of the canopy showing a modification of construction. Fig. 6 is a detail in plan of the broken ring.

More specifically, 7 indicates a horizontally disposed broken ring with the end portions 8 and 9 thereof over-lapping and slidably secured together by a sleeve l0 aflixed to the end portion 8 and slidable on the end portion 9, the latter being upturned at llV to form a stop to prevent the end members 8 and 9 from being separated. This construction of the ring is provided for the purpose of increasing or decreasing its diameter as occasion may require.

Mounted onl the ring 7 and depending therefrom is a series of rods l2, spaced at equi-distances apart around the ring 7. rlhese rods l2 are preferably formed with eyelets 13 which loosely engage the ring 7 to form a pivoted connection between the rods and the ring so that if desired the rods may be turned to lie parallel with the ring for convenience in transportation. The space inclosed by the ring 7 is covered by a sheet of fabric lll which sheet forms the top of the hood and is sufficiently loose to permit the ring 7 being enlarged to its fullest extent before drawing the sheet leltaut.

Depending from the ring 7 is a fabric sheet or curtain l5 which is attached at its upper edge to the ring in any suitable manner and forms a flexible continuous wall when the ring 7 is suspended.

The vertical ends of the curtain l5 are designed to overlap at the point of juncture of the end portions 8 and 9 of the broken ring 7; one end of the curtain l5 being unsecured at its upper edge for a suitable distance to permit of the adjustment of the ends 8 and 9 in relation to each other. The curtain Y 15 is arranged to Vlie adjacent the inner sides on the right hand side of Fig. 1.

Formed in the upper end of the hood is a hot-air compartment 17. This com-A partment is formed by means of a'fabric partition 18 supported on a ring 19 and secured to the inner wall of the curtain l5 by stitching 2O or in any other suitable manner. The partition 18 is spaced a suitable distance from the top or cover 14 and is formed withV apertures 21 for the passage of heat therethrough; a vent 22 normally closed by a draft regulating plate 23, being'formed in the top l-l to vent the chamber 17 when desired.

The hood carrying ring 7 is suspended by means of a bail 21 from a hook 25 on a cable 26 which cable extends lengthwise of a row of trees some distance thereabove and is supported upon posts 27 as illustrated in Fig. 1, a hood being suspended immediately above each tree or slidably arranged on the cable 26 so as to be moved into position over a tree.

Means are provided for manually folding and unfolding the fabric side-walls of rthe hood, which means comprises cords 28 whichare secured to the lower edge of the side-walls 15 of the hood and pass upward and over pulleys 29 carried by the ring .7

adjacent the rods 12, which cords extend downward from the pulleys to a point convenient of reach.

In the application of the invention, when it is desired to encompass a tree by the hood, the latter being previously disposed in its folded position and retained therein by suitably fastening the outer ends of the cords 28 to Xed supports which may be on the tree' itself, the cords 28 are loosened so as to allow the folded curtain 15 to gravitate downward and encircle a tree. This operation can be very quickly performed. heaterV 30 of any suitable description may beplaced beneath-the canopy and tree as shown in Fig. 2 to supply heat if desired, which heat will rise around the tree and be confined by the walls 15 of the canopy and will enter the compartment 17 where it will be prevented from being deflected downward around the tree by the Vtop of the hood, the vent 22-being opened to any desired extent by adjusting the plate 23 to obtain the required draft. Y If desired, the side-walls of the canopy may be formed double by suspending a con- -tinuous flexible partition wall 31 from the horizontal partition 18 as shown in Fig. 5, the lower edge of the partition 31 being connected with the lower edge of the side walls 15 of the hood so as to fold and unfold therewith.

Then it is desired to raise the hood clear of the tree the curtain 15 is folded against the underside of the ring 7, or partially folded as desired, by pulling on the free ends ofthe cords 28, the latter being afterward fastened to retain the hood in its folded position.

To prevent excessive radiation of the heat and cold through the walls of the hood, the fabric curtains 15 and the top 1e are lined with paper or other suitable non-conductive material 32.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a protective hood for fruit trees which can` be readily placed in position around a tree at night when danger of frost is greatest, and raised in the morning when danger" of frost is past so as to expose the tree tothe air andsun, and which hood will not be displaced by moderate winds.

That I claim is:

1. In a canopy for trees, a suspended ring, rods pivotally depending therefrom, a flexible wall carried by the ring and depending therefrom adapted to encircle a tree, slidable connections between said wall and the rods, means for sliding the flexible walls verticallyy on said rods to dispose them in a folded position against the ring, orin'an unfolded position to form an inclosure-for a tree. i V

2. In a canopy for protecting fruit trees,

j a ring capable of being reduced or enlarged,

tached to the ring and depending therefrom to form tree encircling walls, guide rods carried by the ring and pivoted thereon, slidable connections between the curtain and said rods, and manually operated Ameans for raising the curtain to fold it against the ring and for lowering it into operative position around a tree.

3. A protective hood for trees, comprising foldable fabricv side. walls closed at their top 'and adapted to` encompass a tree, a foldable frame carrying the fabric, means Vfor sup.- porting the frame in a dependent position, a partition wall dividing the space inclosed by the fabric,- side walls into compartments,

said partition wall having apertures for the VizoV fabric side-walls closed at their unfolding the fabric side-Walls in relation to the canopy frame.

5. A canopy for fruit trees, comprising a ring, a cover carried by the ring inclosing the top of the canopy, a flexible curtain attached to the ring and depending therefrom to form tree encircling Walls, a second ring secured Within the curtain and spaced below the first-named ring, a fabric Wall formed With apertures carried by said second ring, a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

